Trouble for Tails
by Herooftimes
Summary: Tails is pretty content being happy and Shadows just the guy to bring him down past the ground.


"Ah…nothing beats this!" Tails lay back

He was lying in a field just relaxing, eating a chili dog. He had just finished a lot of work on one of his machines and was feeling great.

"This field…it kinda reminds me of one of me and Sonic's adventures. Like the time we beat–"

"We? Don't you mean Sonic?"

Tails pulled up into a sitting position and found the person who had disturbed his resting.

"H-Hi Shadow."

Sigh. Tails wished he could have kept the quivering out of his voice, but he still remembered the beating Shadow had given him when Tails was protecting Cosmo.

Another sigh. Cosmo…already, Shadow had ruined his mood.

"But seriously, how can you say that? It was Sonic who really fought most of the hard battles."

"B-but… I–"

"Really, is there any major enemy you've beaten without Sonic's help?"

"But my machines…"

"Oh yes. Your machines."

Shadow was in the worst mood he'd been in for a while. He'd been dreaming of Maria…

"_Shadow…I miss you." _Maria seemed on the verge of tears.

"_Don't worry Maria…I'm here…" _ Shadow reached out to comfort the only person who he had ever truly opened up to

Here, they could stay alone. Here, no one could hurt either of them…Shadow felt at peace.

And then she turned into Black Doom.

After having to fight him _again_ while he was sleeping, Shadow was angry and ready to kick the ass of anyone near him.

"You mean those things that Eggman uses for target practice? Or maybe the ones you forget to put landing gear on?"

Tails cringed. Maybe Shadow was right…

"Really, you are more a hindrance usually," Shadow continued attacking Tails' self esteem, "If Sonic wasn't always worried about protecting you, he might be able to focus more during his battles." Shadow simply felt he was stating facts.

Tails stood, his head low and his feelings of self worth even lower.

"Maybe…I should just keep to myself."

"Well, that might increase Sonic's chances of survival."

"Should I just…stay away from battles?"

"That's one way to help. So, run along now."

"Yeah…I understand now, Shadow. I'm…not needed."

Shadow kept himself from rolling his eyes. Must these pampered little animals repeat the obvious?

"T-tell Sonic….that I'm sorry."

"Yeah…" Shadow was already sitting down to try to rest again, practically forgetting Tails automatically.

_I helped someone realize their place in the world_, Shadow thought, _Maria must be proud of me_…

Tails slowly trudged away.

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"Tails….is something wrong? You haven't built anything in a while, and you've been acting really–"

"Will you be quiet?!"

Tails was sitting on a beanbag couch in his workshop, a disinterested glare on his face.

The following weeks since his encounter with Shadow had not been kind to Tails. He had actually stopped building things for the first time in years. He still thought up new inventions…but he didn't act on them. He barely even spun his tails much anymore. And he had become increasingly angry at his lack of strength that Shadow had pointed out. So he took it out on those near him.

"W-what?" Amy couldn't believe that Tails, nice old _Tails_ was being this rude to her. Well, that didn't mean she was going to take it!

"Why, you……!" She lifted her hammer high above her head.

Tails saw the hammer and only a few simple things registered in his mind.

She is trying to hurt me.

I don't want to be hurt.

I'm going to stop her.

Coming to life for the first time in many days, the double tails of Miles Prower lashed out and knocked away Amy's balance. The yellow fox rose from his position, snatched the hammer from her grasp with his right hand, spun around so his back was facing Amy, and used his left arm to elbow her in the stomach. The hammer dropped to the floor as Tails' arm realized just how heavy it was.

There was silence after Amy hit the floor was deafening.

Tails came back to his senses.

"Oh, Amy, I didn't mean to–"

"What's happened to you?"

Tails was silent for a moment. Then he began rambling.

"Well…I…I just…Shadow, he told me…"

Then he got defensive.

"What do you care?! It's none of your business!"

Tails stormed out of his own workshop, leaving a speechless Amy recovering on the ground.

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"WHAT!"

Sonic was confused and upset. One of his friends had been attacked and it should have been a simple matter of ramming the offender into the ground and wiping his hands of the incident.

But the offender this time was his best friend…

Sonic slowly began walking toward one of the places he hoped he could find Tails.

"I dunno what's gotten into him, but the Tails I know wouldn't attack anyone out of anger. Wait here Amy; I'll go talk to him…"

Sonic sighed "…What could have happened to Tails…"

"I think Shadow did something."

"….What?" Sonic skidded to a stop.

"Tails mentioned something about Shadow…and come to think of it, he's kinda being violent, like him."

Sonic grit his teeth, but inside he was grinning. He hadn't been looking forward to confronting Tails, but Shadow…He could easily let loose on Shadow. He picked up a golden ring and placed it on his wrist. Sonic slowly began walking into his super sonic stride…

"I'll find Shadow…but first I have to make a little trip to a 'jewelry store'…"

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"Shadow!"

The owner of the name grimaced. He had actually been enjoying a good rest, but _someone _always had to interrupt it. He hadn't seen that annoying fox in a while so it had to be…

"What do you want, Sonic?"

"Did you do something to Tails? He's been acting weird and he attacked Amy just a while ago!"

"Sigh…then shouldn't you be taking this up with him? What's it got to do with me?"

"I know Tails wouldn't act like that normally."

"Maybe he decided he needed to gain a backbone. Could you please explain how this is my problem? I'd like to get back to resting."

"Amy said he mentioned your name. That you did something to him." Sonic's anger was starting to boil because of Shadow's uncaring attitude.

"Hmm…" Shadow actually searched his memory, but didn't recollect the encounter he had with the yellow fox a few weeks before. "No…Haven't seen him in a while."

"He's acting like a violent loner, just like you!" Sonic's fist gripped around a hard object.

"Yeah, whatever, I didn't do anything." Shadow lay back down and prepared to sleep

The sight of Shadow with his back to him, _totally _ignoring Sonic, was too much for him.

"You…Liar!"

The dam of Sonics anger broke. The emeralds shined brightly.

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The first thing Shadow thought when a shining white glove attached to a golden arm impacted the ground in front of his was _'Ouch, he got dirt in my eye.'_

The second thought was: _'Oh, Sonic's serious.'_

"Tell me what you did, and apologize to Tails right NOW!" Sonic yelled.

"I'm telling you, I didn't do anything.

Shadow saw another fist coming down, this time aimed for his face. Normally he wouldn't have cared, but this was a super charged fist. He moved fast.

"CHAOS CONTROL!"

Shadow slowed down the punch enough for him to avoid it. He jumped back a few feet.

Sonic looked at the empty crater in front of him.

"Chaos control…is So. Damn. Cheap!"

"You think so? Then you really won't like this."

Sonic looked up. A super Shadow floated in front of him.

"How…?"

"The range of the Emeralds' power is actually quite large."

"Grrr…HERE, I'LL SHOW YOU!" (1)

Sonic flew straight at Shadow, who easily dodged the head butt. But then Sonic landed on the ground and began running at speeds Shadow couldn't anticipate.

BAM

Shadow only flew a single foot back before he flipped in the air, sending a Chaos spear straight for Sonic.

Sonic did a quick spin charge and flew straight through the chaos spear, hurtling at Shadow.

"CHAOS CONTROL!"

Sonic flew through the now empty air and created another small crater. He slowly got up, his eye twitching.

"Cheap, Cheap, Cheap!!"

"You know you wish you had it."

When Sonic didn't answer, Shadow wondered what he was planning.

"Sonic…why are you–"

Shadow didn't have time to turn as a glowing ball of spinning hedgehog slammed into his back, sending him high into the air.

"Dang…it was an afterimage…." (2)

"Sonic…PINBALL!" Sonic shouted.

"What the heck is that?"

Shadow found out a few seconds later.

Sonic appeared above him and smashed him towards the ground. Before Shadow could hit it, he moved below him and sent him up into another direction. He moved behind shadow _again _and kicked him in the back, sending him flying in another direction. Then another. And another.

Shadow was not amused. He reached out…

…And caught Sonic by the nose.

"Ow. OW! LEGGO!"

"I should. Your voice is much more annoying this way."

Shadow slowly the swung Sonic in tight circles. His nose would have ripped out if it was not for the power of the chaos emeralds.

"OW!! STOB IT!"

"Hmm? Stop?"

Shadow flung Sonic towards the ground and sent a chaos spear after him…just cause.

"Are you done with this aimless fighting, Sonic?"

There was no response.

"Get up Sonic! I know that didn't kill you."

Actually, Shadow wasn't sure…

"…Sonic?"

Shadow floated down to the spot where Sonic had crashed down. There was a lot of dust floating around, so he couldn't see well.

"Okay, Sonic, Do you need help? If you're really injured we need to hurry so–"

Shadow turned at the sound of a footstep behind him. He only had time for one and a half words.

"Holy Sh–"

BAM

Shadow wasn't able to finish the phrase, as he was too busy flying away at incredible speeds.

Darkspine Sonic grinned sadistically.

In another second he had also disappeared from sight.

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It was only after Shadow had been flying for a few seconds that his body was actually able to register that it was in pain.

"Darkspine….is so….damn… cheap…."

Shadow crashed into the only kind of ground the earth has when you're flying at the speed of pain: unforgiving.

"Sigh…If he's gone to Darkspine how am I supposed to calm him down…"

"Hmm…maybe if I can just prove that the little fox is just having a bad day….er…month, he'll leave me alone…"

" I have to get Sonic and the fox together…but fist I have to find Sonic…"

Shadow was suddenly knocked off his feet by a huge ball of deadly pulsating purple anger.

"Well, that parts done…"

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BOOM

The quake of the earth knocked a brooding tails off his feet. He landed and didn't bother to pick himself up.

"What did I do to deserve getting knocked over…?"

Images of attacking Amy floated through his mind. He shook them away.

"Nothing at all, that's what…"

Tails sat up and noticed that the whole white part of his fur was now a dirty brownish green. He decided to direct his anger at it.

"Whatever idiot knocked me over…..is SERIOUSLY going to get it!"

Tails pulled out one of the inventions he had been working on before he had begun moping. They were skates similar in style to Shadows. Tails begun rotating his…tails. They spun in credibly fast, but instead of lifting him into the air like usual, with the help of the skates they moved him across the ground quickly.

"Just wait till I find out who did it…" Tails' face gained an angry grimace.

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BOOM

Amy fell over in the middle of practicing one of her new hammer swings.

A figure behind her sighed.

"Amy, how can you expect to subdue Tails and talk to him if you're this clumsy?

Silver floated behind her with a lightly amused grin on his face. Amy had come to him asking for help with Tails, and he had instead tired to help her solve the problem herself by becoming strong enough to beat Tails and get him to sit down and talk.

"It wasn't my fault! The ground shook! You didn't feel it 'because you're floating…"

Silver sighed. "Amy, there's no need to be embarrassed or make excuses…"

"I'm serious! Something's wrong!

Silver focused and found that a huge amount of energy was focused around a single area…he could feel two distinct auras, both going at incredible speeds.

"Oh…you're right…something is going on…"

It was Amy's turn to sigh "So much for psychic abilities…"

"I-I was distracted!"

"Yeah right! There's only you and me here, what could have distracted you?"

"Uh…" Silver turned away and chose not to answer as He led the way to the source of the power.

Maybe he blushed.

Maybe he didn't.

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The battle between Super Shadow and Darkspine sonic would not have looked out of place in a certain show about Dragon Balls.

They had come at each other fast and hard, taking as many punched as they landed. Darkspine wasn't afraid to use the land as a weapon against Shadow, tearing up the lad and throwing it at him.

"Sonic----Sonic, LISTEN to me! Why don't we go and ask Tails–"

"**You're gonna pay!!!"**

Shadow sighed. It was hard trying to reason with a being made up only of spikes and rage. He had tried leading him to Tails, but he realized that Tails was probably in the city, and he didn't want Sonic tearing it up. It would ruin Sonic's image, and Shadow liked the few perks he got from Sonic's fame. But that left him without a plan.

"Oh well…maybe I could use this workout…"

Sonic's fist crashing into his stomach reminded Shadow of a simple fact : A beat down is not a workout.

Shadow tumbled to the ground and his golden glow faded out for a second.

"Crap it…how am I supposed to end this fight…"

"**By dying!"**

Shadow flinched at the statement. That didn't sound like Sonic…

Shadow took a closer look at the hedgehog before him. Wait…he wasn't purple anymore, he was midnight blue…

'Oh.' Shadow thought. 'He's turned into Dark Super Sonic.'

"...Ef."

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Silver felt one of the powers take a steep plummet into darker energy. He grabbed Amy's wrist an speed them both forward with Psychic speed.

"I don't know If I'll even be able to fight something with that much power…" Silver mumbled…"

Amy was too busy trying to stop from getting whiplash to answer.

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"Stupid , stupid SHOES! Go faster!"

Tails was moving at great speeds already, but he needed a quick out let for his anger. He kept pushing the boots to go faster, even activating their untested rocket speed extension. He knew they were probably overheat, but he didn't care.

"Is that all you can do, this SLOW? Oh come on, Sonic can run faster with regular shoes!"

The shoes began to groan under the stress, and had Tails noticed this he might have stopped.

"Faster, faster, come on FAS–"

BOOM

The shoes exploded, sending Tails at a speed he probably didn't want to go.

A piece of the shoes flew by Tails and slapped him in the face. But it must have been a coincidence…

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Shadow was struggling. Against Sonic of all hedgehogs…

Not only had Shadow been forced to continuously push himself back into super form by sheer force of will, it wasn't really helping since Sonic had lost all semblance of control. Who knew Sonic actually seemed to have the power to back up his boasts… But dang it, Shadow knew he was supposed to be so powerful he didn't even need to make boasts! Was the ultimate life from really gonna loose to a hedgehog that didn't appreciate something as simple as skates?

HECK NO!

Shadow forced himself back into super form, pushing harder than he had before. Dark Super Sonic was blown back. Shadow took his chance.

Shadow rolled up to sonic and crouched on one hand and knee. He lifted his other foot and knocked into Sonic's chin, pushing him up into the air. Shadow moved quickly and appeared behind Sonic's form as he reached the height of his ascent. He wrapped his arm around Sonic's, preventing him from moving at all. He turned both of them upside down in the air and began spinning, slowly then at wind causing speeds, intent on planting Sonic painfully into the ground. A name for the attack burst into Shadow's mind from nowhere.

"SHADOWY LOTU–" (2)

Before Shadow could finish his _completely new and original_ attack, he was slammed by a large amount of yellow fur going at a high speed.

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Tails was not having a good day. This day happened to very painful, actually.

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"Finally! We made it!"

Silver stopped his flying as he came upon the spot where he sensed the powers crashing against each other.

"Huh?" Said Amy, "But I don't see anythin–"

Before she could finish her sentence, Silver elbowed her to the ground.

"HEY! Amy turned, still on the ground. "What's the big ide…a…"

Silver was not standing alone anymore. More specifically, he was not standing. He was lying down in a crater.

A crater that happened to contain two other hedgehogs and a fox.

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"Ugh….wha..what happened?"

Sonic looked around, but he seemed to be trapped in the ground. Only his shoulders and head seemed to be visible. He looked to his right and saw Shadow still unconscious beside him.

"HA! I woke up before Shadow!" Sonic grinned widely.

"Shut up Sonic, got up before you."

Sonic looked to his right and saw a glaring Tails in the same position as him.

"…What happened to us?"

"I believe you should direct that question to the woman towering over you." Said Silver calmly, who was for some reason in their same position.

"Oh. Hi Amy!" Sonic said cheerfully, trying to hide his fear at Amy's expression.

"No talking until Shadow stops faking sleep." Amy said quietly.

"Dang…" said Shadow "Was hoping to get away without being yelled at…"

"Now…" Amy said slowly, grinning " Let us begin…"

"Wait, Amy, why am I in the ground too? " Silver asked

"Nobody elbows me and gets away with it!"

"But-but I was saving…whatever." Silver sighed.

"Now…Shadow apologize to Tails!"

"Maybe you didn't think this through. Sonic's in-between me and Tails. And besides, apologize for what?"

"Amy!" Tails shouted " He did nothing but show me how weak and useless I was! So Shut up and let us out of here!"

For the next few minutes, Silver was preoccupied using his psychic power to hold off Amy's hammer from crashing into Tails's skull.

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Hours later…(It took a while for Tails to talk in complete sentences with Shadow)

Tails sat on the edge of a grass cliff with Sonic, the moon providing light for them. Shadow lay on Tails' left, sporting a few bruises from Amy's 'Hammer of justice' but asleep, breathing slowly in the cool midnight air.

"…You okay now Tails?" Sonic asked quietly

"Yeah…well, I'm a lot better than before!" Tails laughed a bit. Not as much as he would have a month ago…but it was start.

"Hey…lets fight!"

"Huh?"

Tails barely dodged the fist that planted itself in the ground where he once was.

"What-What are you doing?!"

"Cmon Tails! If you feel inferior to us, all I've gotta do is teach you how to fight!"

Sigh. Tails knew he would fall asleep with more than a few bruises from this…

But on the inside he was grinning.

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Amy and Silver lay nearby the cliff ready to stop Sonic and Tails' 'spar' from getting to serious. But it was hard for them not to fall asleep. Silver stared straight into the sky on his back with his hands behind his head. Amy sat on her side, facing away from him

"Hey Silver." Amy yawned. She turned to face Silver

"Yes?"

"You never did tell me what distracted you back then."

"Uh…"

"Well?"

Silver turned his back to her, cheeks ablaze. "Goodnight."

And no matter how much Amy asked, she could not get another word out of him.

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(1) Sonic's Cry as he releases his Final Smash ( Super Sonic) In Super Smash Brothers Brawl.

(2) Shadow absolutely copied off Rock Lee's Primary Lotus from Naruto.

_**Herooftimes**_: I LIVE :D


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